Many thanks to Richard Ardus for this week’s Friday Photo. In fact, Richard has kindly passed on to me a portfolio of black and white photos taken in and around Hoylake in the 1950s and I’ll enjoy sharing them on and off during the coming weeks. There are a few obscure photos featuring the back yards of fisherman’s cottages among several gems including the photo above.
100 Market Street was once the Hoylake branch of F W Woolworth & Co – it’s now a dance studio of course and prior to that it was the Jon David furniture store before that closed in 2009. I think the only other time I’ve seen a photo of Hoylake Woolies is in this photo featuring the Kingsway Cinema. Presumably this photo was taken in the summer – spot a lilo in the window …ideal for lying on while eating some thoughtfully selected pick-n-mix down on the beach!
Of course Woolworth is no longer a household name on any high street in the UK as the chain was a very high profile business failure of the credit crunch, though the brand lives on digitally.
The James McKenzie Ltd shop next door was an electrical retailer I gather. Did Hoylake Woolies close immediately before Jon David opened or was it another shop in-between?
By the way, if anyone has a photo of the old Tesco store in Hoylake (now Home Bargains, before that Somerfields, before that Kwik-Save) please do let me know.
I remember Woollies – it was were I first went to buy make up, using saved up pocket money – though I had to scrub it off before I got home! McKenzies was a record shop in the sixties, where you could listen to and buy the latest hits – though I had to make do with listening to them on Radio Luxemburg as I could not afford to spend the 7 shillings and 6 pence it cost to buy one!
This photograph has brought back so many memories. I bought my very first single record here, Puppy Love by Donny Osmond and used to covet a silver photograph frame which held a sample black & white photograph of a young Hayley Mills. I so wanted to be pretty like her. As you walked through the door on the right as you look at the picture, all the photo frames and household trinkets were on shelves just as you walked in, right hand side.
I used to save all my pocket money for weeks to just spend an hour in there browsing.
In relation to photographs of where Home & Bargain is now situated. The site was previously The Kingsway Cinema, I’ve got a few photos of it at the time. These are also on-line if you google ‘Kingsway Cinema Hoylake’. Failing that, the excellent group, Wirral in Old Photographs on Facebook have some wonderful ones provided by the amazing Syd Bird.
Hope this helps.
Oh the memories that flood in from that photo of Woolies. first make up bought there, Christmas presents etc. To wander round there with our pocket money was part of the Saturday ritual back in the early 50s. I remember Mackenzies too and the little booths for listening to records- not sure I could ever afford to buy one though. Happy days. I wish I’d had the foresight to photograph these buildings. The Kingsway was a fine cinema and many a local romance started there.
After woolies closed gainmore supermarket came before John David
Regarding after the kingsway cinema first it was fine fare supermarket and adsega and then tesco
I bought my first single at McKenzies with my first wage packet, I think it was 6s 4d. Del Sahnnon’s “Runaway”
Mine too, was Lily the Pink by The Scaffold!
Oh the joys of having a quick look around Woolies SEVERAL times a week…Always something to buy.
Next door of course was McKenzies… I remember buying my first record player there. A Dansette..about 16 pounds if I remember…paid it off in installments.Joy Johns nee Wharton was there then… I also remember my first buy in records… Johnny Ray… Walking in the Rain. and Winifred Atwell …Oh how I loved her music….
Hoylake was a delightful place to live in. in those days… Where have all those lovely shops gone.’
We also had about five chemists,five butchers and plenty of antique shops !!
If I remember correctly in between Woolworths closing and Jon David opening there was a DIY Type shop in there for a short while.Coopers Grocers was one side and Mckenzies on the corner.
We used shelter in the arcade of Mckenzies to play jacks or 5 stones as some called it.
Hi Jackie, I remember Woolworths closing but certainly cannot remember a Supermarket!! I remember the DIY materials on show. You say Coopers was next door to Woolworths I assume between Woolworths and Mills Greengrocers—were was Pegrams then?
Mike
Mckenzie’s on the corner, then Woolworth’s, then Coopers , then Mills Greengrocer with an arch into the Fish Shop, and finally Watson’s Bakery before the pub. Pegram’s was next to Austin’s Toy Shop and is now a Solicitor’s Practice, Mr Jackson was the Manager and we had our Ration Books there for our Groceries. I remember the Black and White Tiled Floor, the Polished wood counters and the chair by the counter to sit while you waited for the goods to be weighed and packed. No pre- pack in those days blue or brown paper!!!
What about the sweet shop between Frank Watson and The Anchor the name in my fuddled brain thinks of a Miss Ormisher or that could have been another sweet shop!
when wqoolworths closed gainmore supermarket took over 100 market street (1973) and regarding after the kingsway cinema first it was fine fare then adsega and tesco
Towards the end of the 1970s it became. DIY supermarket called Dodds
Oh yes, my dear old mum worked at Dodds! in Hoylake, many moons ago!
After Woolworths and before John David, it used to be Dodds DIY store. My mum Dot worked there for a fair few years.
Was your Mum named Evans before she married, and was your father John ?
Hi, do u have two sisters, Julie and Paula? I.m from stoke on Trent and ur sister Julie lived with me and my ex husband in Shelton. I av been trying to contact Julie for years to catch up with her, our daughters r 21 at Xmas. Can u please pass my number on to Julie, 07834345241 and my name is Gail Heath,
Hello
My question is for Dave Ormesher, I think you are the brother of a very good friend of mine, was Julie Ormesher, she had Liam and Victoria, I would absolutely love to get in touch with Julie, can you kindly pass on my details to her my phone number is 07834345241 or do you have an email address for her?
kindest regards Gail
it would seem people have forgotten about Gainmore supermaket .which as i say came after woolworths and before dodds, i have looked it up and gainmore was there late 72 and certainly 1973 plus i had friends that worked there. coopers next door had also gone by then and that shop was in 1974 james bedroom furniture shop and the old mckenzies was an antique shop ie wirral antiques
Who would have thought an old picture of ‘Woolies’ would give anyone such joy….just shows what it meant to everyone! Creaky wooden floorboards, broken biscuits, ties to buy for Dad at Christmas and an Alladins’ cave of plastic bangles and jewels by the front door.
The funny front portico of McKenzies’ shop next door has long been a ‘memory’ moment in our house…it’s where my father (Roger Triggs) proposed to my mother 65 years ago. Just to report the marriage is still going strong but McKenzies isn’t….ces la vie….
Margot
I remember your Mum and Dad very well. In the late 40s and early 50s I used to help your Dad cooking the cockles in the old wash house at the back of Harolds house in Trinity Road and collecting cockles with your uncles Sid, Cris, and Bill
Morning George…..
I’d say the Triggs’ and the Marchbanks’ went back a long way, wouldn’t you? Sounds like the days before we built the ‘Cook House’ in Carr Lane. All best wishes.
Margot
Hi Margo, I know you from when we were children in Hoylake. I see your mum and dad around. How are you? Hope you are well. You don’t live in Hoylake anymore do you? Lovely to hear from you.
Linda… It’s great to hear from you. I live down in Wiltshire now but there’s no place like Hoylake!
I love this site and reading everyone’s comments and memories….its all a million miles from our present but so close to everyone’s heart. Take care.
Margo, you are right there is no place like Hoylake. Wiltshire is a lovely part of the country though. Yes the site is great for getting back in touch with old friends and making new ones too. Lovely to talk to you. Maybe bump into you one day when you come to visit your mum and dad. 🙂
Margot, you are right no place like home, although I have been to Wiltshire and it is a lovely part of the country. If you are on Facebook type Wirral in Old Photographs in the search box and you will be on a site started by two local people, there are now over 3,000 members and its people like yourself who join, people who were born and brought up on Wirral and with tales to tell and pics to show. I am sure you and your mum and dad too would be interested in seeing old pics of Hoylake and surrounding villages. Your mum and dad may know some of the people on the pics. If they have any of their own we would love to see them and the group would be very grateful. Anyone can join. If you are not on facebook I think you can get the site through Google. Have a look, see what you think I think you would love it. Nice to speak to you. 🙂 x
Margot, your right no place like home. Wiltshire is a lovely part of the country though, been there and loved it. The site is great for getting in touch with old friends and finding new ones too. If you are on facebook type Wirral in Old Photographs in the search box, it’s a site that has been put together by two people from West Kirby, there are now more than 3,000 members who relate their memories of old Hoylake, West Kirby, Meols and Greasby etc, in photographs. I am sure you would love it, being an old Hoylakian. Nice to hear from you, may bump into you one day when you visit your mum and dad perhaps.
Margot your right there is no place like home, although Wiltshire is a lovely part of the country. If you are on facebook type Wirral in Old Photographs in the search box. It is a site put together by two people from West Kirby it has local pics of olden days and people relate tales of old Hoylake and the Wirral in general, I am sure you would love it being an old Hoylakian. I have learnt lots that I never knew, give it a try, see what you think. I am sure your mum and dad would be interested to have a look too and if they have any old pics of Hoylake the site would be very grateful if you could post them on the site and add to the treasures we have already had from other members. I’m sure your mum and dad could add loads of stories. Anyway no obligation but have a look and see what you think. Nice to talk with you. 🙂 x
in answer to your question mike scott,, pegrams was next door to austins which was further up market street as you know, coopers was next door to woolworths and it was fosters the fruiterers that was there for many years.the other side of coopers. gainmore supermarket certainly was there after woolworths closed as i have stressed altho it wasnt there long, the shop was empty for awhile before it became jon david
Thanks Barry for jogging my memory, I remember now!
Sue Vine comments:
I remember Pegrams – it was up towards Alderley Road- near Austins the newsagents I think. Also recall a shop there I think called Sibbets – anyone remember it? I think it was what was called a drapers.
In the late 1960s & 70s, Mr Black was the manager of Pegrams and he sliced the bacon to each customer’s requirements. A rare thing nowadays.
My weekly visit to Woolies was to buy an Airfix kit. On 2s 6d pocket money, the kit was 2/- and the 6d went towards glue and the gradual collection of paints. To be honest, I have often wondered if the fumes wafting off the glue formed part of the attraction! The collection of Spitfires etc. then hung from strings across my bedroom collecting dust!
My first (Dansette) record player was also purchased at Mackenzies, in addition to first LP – Elvis’s “GI Blues”! Spent many hours wandering around counters at Woollies looking for bargains…..
Dave Ormisher. Do you have two sisters, Paula and Julie?